And you think RL is struggling . . . ?

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PJC
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Re: And you think RL is struggling . . . ?

Post by PJC »

I read the above article and cannot see grassroots disappearing. Struggling at present maybe. There are too many older ex players in either code to allow this to happen.
However all sport has changed with the advent of full time professionalism. In my opinion the large amounts of money coming into all sports is a problem. You need to be continually chasing it to survive.
I sometimes wonder if rugby league would be better placed if we went back to semi professional. Fitness levels etc might drop but there were plenty of good games before it became full time. There is the problem that our better players would drift to Union.
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Mike
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Re: And you think RL is struggling . . . ?

Post by Mike »

Maybe we should go back to amatuer/semi-pro. The GAA don't have a problem with crowds.
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PJC
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Re: And you think RL is struggling . . . ?

Post by PJC »

I d be interested to know how solvent clubs were pre full time contracts. Wigan’s crowds were often low before the teams of the mid 80s onwards. But was the club struggling financially?
blindsideprop
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Re: And you think RL is struggling . . . ?

Post by blindsideprop »

Blackpool_Pie wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 4:49 pm The article says a lot and nothing. Absolutely no substance or facts in there. The grassroots game is strong. Many clubs in the lower leagues are actually making a profit. My local club I played for as a youngster has at least 4 teams playing every Saturday and has a thriving youth set up from u6s right up to u15s then junior and senior academy sides playing on Sundays. Every single player, youth or senior, pays a membership fee. This has been going for as long as I can remember and is going just as strong now as when I joined as a youth in the early 90s. And along with that, a lot of lower league clubs in the same area are exactly the same.

The top teams in the premiership however are struggling, especially since covid. But that's sport as a whole.
RU, despite how many on here will wish, is still flourishing. The premiership is one of, if not, the best league in the world currently. Grassroots clubs have been back for a while and are as strong as ever. Meanwhile the International game will always be a major draw in the UK.

I believe whoever wrote the article is very anti RU.
Spot on, Sadly for RL we are second best to Union and always will be, there are a few reasons why but imo the main one is that RL is poorly run, poorly marketed and the Sky coverage is abysmal with the presenters and commentators totally inept.
keptinthedarkfans
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Re: And you think RL is struggling . . . ?

Post by keptinthedarkfans »

blindsideprop wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 6:06 am
Blackpool_Pie wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 4:49 pm The article says a lot and nothing. Absolutely no substance or facts in there. The grassroots game is strong. Many clubs in the lower leagues are actually making a profit. My local club I played for as a youngster has at least 4 teams playing every Saturday and has a thriving youth set up from u6s right up to u15s then junior and senior academy sides playing on Sundays. Every single player, youth or senior, pays a membership fee. This has been going for as long as I can remember and is going just as strong now as when I joined as a youth in the early 90s. And along with that, a lot of lower league clubs in the same area are exactly the same.

The top teams in the premiership however are struggling, especially since covid. But that's sport as a whole.
RU, despite how many on here will wish, is still flourishing. The premiership is one of, if not, the best league in the world currently. Grassroots clubs have been back for a while and are as strong as ever. Meanwhile the International game will always be a major draw in the UK.

I believe whoever wrote the article is very anti RU.
Spot on, Sadly for RL we are second best to Union and always will be, there are a few reasons why but imo the main one is that RL is poorly run, poorly marketed and the Sky coverage is abysmal with the presenters and commentators totally inept.
Wells is as good as a presenter I have seen in any sport unbiased and his knowledge of game is as good as I've seen. Grant it he is one of few but step in right direction.
Barney841
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Re: And you think RL is struggling . . . ?

Post by Barney841 »

keptinthedarkfans wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 6:58 am
blindsideprop wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 6:06 am
Blackpool_Pie wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 4:49 pm The article says a lot and nothing. Absolutely no substance or facts in there. The grassroots game is strong. Many clubs in the lower leagues are actually making a profit. My local club I played for as a youngster has at least 4 teams playing every Saturday and has a thriving youth set up from u6s right up to u15s then junior and senior academy sides playing on Sundays. Every single player, youth or senior, pays a membership fee. This has been going for as long as I can remember and is going just as strong now as when I joined as a youth in the early 90s. And along with that, a lot of lower league clubs in the same area are exactly the same.

The top teams in the premiership however are struggling, especially since covid. But that's sport as a whole.
RU, despite how many on here will wish, is still flourishing. The premiership is one of, if not, the best league in the world currently. Grassroots clubs have been back for a while and are as strong as ever. Meanwhile the International game will always be a major draw in the UK.

I believe whoever wrote the article is very anti RU.
Spot on, Sadly for RL we are second best to Union and always will be, there are a few reasons why but imo the main one is that RL is poorly run, poorly marketed and the Sky coverage is abysmal with the presenters and commentators totally inept.
Wells is as good as a presenter I have seen in any sport unbiased and his knowledge of game is as good as I've seen. Grant it he is one of few but step in right direction.
I was looking forward to seeing Barrie and terry on the Panel when stevo and Eddie finally stepped down. What a mistake that was! I find them boring, Carney isn’t much better either.
That’s another thing the Aussies have right, the commentators are a lot more flamboyant and exciting. I think terry and the crew just drone on and have a very boring tone.
archiekeith
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Re: And you think RL is struggling . . . ?

Post by archiekeith »

Yes along with most Sports.
DaveO
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Re: And you think RL is struggling . . . ?

Post by DaveO »

Barney841 wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 10:40 am I’ll put my hand up and say I’m not that interested in our international game unless we’re playing a decent team.
I know that doesn’t sound like a great attitude but I hate one sided games, there’s not enough competitive games in our international game.
That shows with the lack of interest
The international game was for a long time really just GB, Australia, NZ and France with only the French the whipping boys in the last era where international tours were taking place.

England playing, I don't know say the USA and putting a cricket score on is a relatively new thing but it is not limited to RL. RU have exactly the same issue but they persevere with it presumably as they see it as beneficial in the long run. I don't know how Italy do these days in the six nations but they took the decision to turn the five nations into he six nations and immediately after they did Italy just got thrashed for season after season. They are still there and have no doubt improved.
Blackpool_Pie
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Re: And you think RL is struggling . . . ?

Post by Blackpool_Pie »

DaveO wrote: Fri Jan 14, 2022 10:20 am
Barney841 wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 10:40 am I’ll put my hand up and say I’m not that interested in our international game unless we’re playing a decent team.
I know that doesn’t sound like a great attitude but I hate one sided games, there’s not enough competitive games in our international game.
That shows with the lack of interest
The international game was for a long time really just GB, Australia, NZ and France with only the French the whipping boys in the last era where international tours were taking place.

England playing, I don't know say the USA and putting a cricket score on is a relatively new thing but it is not limited to RL. RU have exactly the same issue but they persevere with it presumably as they see it as beneficial in the long run. I don't know how Italy do these days in the six nations but they took the decision to turn the five nations into he six nations and immediately after they did Italy just got thrashed for season after season. They are still there and have no doubt improved.
While England's second string smashing teams like USA is something that happens whenever they play, the difference is the very strong 6 nations competition. All teams bar Italy are very competitive. If RL had the same solid teams for the same brand of competition I'm sure it would be a different prospect
blindsideprop
Posts: 172
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2021 10:50 am

Re: And you think RL is struggling . . . ?

Post by blindsideprop »

keptinthedarkfans wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 6:58 am
blindsideprop wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 6:06 am
Blackpool_Pie wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 4:49 pm The article says a lot and nothing. Absolutely no substance or facts in there. The grassroots game is strong. Many clubs in the lower leagues are actually making a profit. My local club I played for as a youngster has at least 4 teams playing every Saturday and has a thriving youth set up from u6s right up to u15s then junior and senior academy sides playing on Sundays. Every single player, youth or senior, pays a membership fee. This has been going for as long as I can remember and is going just as strong now as when I joined as a youth in the early 90s. And along with that, a lot of lower league clubs in the same area are exactly the same.

The top teams in the premiership however are struggling, especially since covid. But that's sport as a whole.
RU, despite how many on here will wish, is still flourishing. The premiership is one of, if not, the best league in the world currently. Grassroots clubs have been back for a while and are as strong as ever. Meanwhile the International game will always be a major draw in the UK.

I believe whoever wrote the article is very anti RU.
Spot on, Sadly for RL we are second best to Union and always will be, there are a few reasons why but imo the main one is that RL is poorly run, poorly marketed and the Sky coverage is abysmal with the presenters and commentators totally inept.
Wells is as good as a presenter I have seen in any sport unbiased and his knowledge of game is as good as I've seen. Grant it he is one of few but step in right direction.
Wells comes on looking as though he has slept on a park bench ali night, casual scruffy clothes, unshaven with his hair looking as though its never seen a comb.He along with the rest are totally unprofessional and just about sum up what so many viwers think of RL today.
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